ELCA CHURCHWIDE ASSEMBLY August 12-17, 2013 Pittsburgh, PA

Welcome to Pittsburgh

Beautiful City

Truly a place to refresh

Cookie Ladies – A Pennsylvania Tradition 227 dozen cookies – were delivered daily homemade cookies – made by loving hands – Approximately 11,000 cookies for the Assembly It was a shame to let them go to waste, so we all did our part!

Home for Six Days ….

Daily Schedule Monday 3:30 - 5:45 Plenary Session One 6:00 -7:15 Dinner 7:30 - 9:00 Opening Worship 9:45 - Fall Asleep Exhausted Tuesday 8: :30 Plenary Session Two 11: :00 Worship 12: :45 Assembly Choir Rehearsal 12:45 - 1:00 Lunch onsite 1:15 - 2:00 Bible Study 2:15 - 4:30 Plenary Session Three 5:00 - 6:00 Hearings 6:00 - 7:00 Dinner onsite 7:00 - 8:00 Hearings

Daily Schedule Wednesday 8:00 – 10:30 Plenary Session Four 11:00 -12:00 Worship [Sing in Assembly Choir] 12:00 -1:00 Lunch Onsite 1:15 - 2:00 Bible Study 2:15-6:00 Plenary Session Five Synod Dinner College/Seminary President Reception

Daily Schedule Thursday 8:00 – 10:30 Plenary Session Six 11:00 – 12:00 Worship 12:00 – 12:45 Assembly Choir Rehearsal 12:45 – 1:00 Lunch Onsite 1:15 – 2:00 Bible Study Thursday 2:15 – 6:00 Plenary Session Seven 6:00 - Dinner on your own

Daily Schedule Friday 8:00 – 10:30 Plenary Session Eight 11:00 – 12:00 Worship (Sing with Assembly Choir) 12:00 – 1:00 Lunch Onsite 1:15 – 2:00 Bible Study Friday 2:15 – 6:00 Plenary Session Nine 6:00 – 8:30 Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the ELCA Dinner Saturday 8:00 – 10:30 Plenary Session Ten *ran later 11:00 – 12:00 Closing Worship Lunch Onsite Saturday 1:45 – 4:00 Plenary Session Eleven *Not needed

Summary of Actions Election of Presiding Bishop. We voted …

… And voted …

Top Four Candidates Crist – Montana Eaton – Northeastern Ohio Hanson – Presiding Svennungsen – Minneapolis

Question and Answer Period Each nominee was allowed 90 seconds to answer the following five questions: Tell us a faith story. What major challenges are facing the ELCA and what gifts do you bring to meet those challenges? How would you lift up and equip the Youth and Young Adults of the ELCA? Comment on “Making All Things New” in light of the decline in mainline denominations.

Including, from the audience: Answers: Hanson – My father in law (a pastor) Crist – the woman who washed Jesus’ feet Eaton – my mother Svennungsen – Martin Luther

And voted – 5 total ballots …..

Other Actions On the Fifth Ballot Elected Rev. Chris Boerger as ELCA Secretary Approved a proposal for the first major fundraising campaign Approved the ELCA churchwide organization budget for fiscal years If every ELCA member gave $40 per year, the budget would be met.

Other Actions, continued Elected members to serve on various committees Adopted a series of amendments to the ELCA Constituions, Bylaws and Continuing Resolutions Moved to continue the Book of Faith initiative

Social Statement – The Church and Criminal Justice: Hearing the Cries - PASSED Packed House on the Criminal Justice Memorial – no one spoke in opposition during the hearings

Considered memorials – resolutions from the 65 synods. Topics included Holy Communion Immigration Reform The Middle East Pastoral Ministry to same-gender couples and their families The Uniting American Families Act

And …. Community Violence Gender Identity Immigration Issues Hydraulic fracturing Fossil Fuels Voters Right Act …. And more.

Worship

Bishops Our 9 Female Bishops Old Friend from Gahanna – Bishop Elect Satterlee

Craft Time – With Our Hands! This window was designed for Elk River Lutheran Church in Elk River, Minn - a congregation under development that was formed when Central Lutheran Church in Elk River voted to leave the ELCA. This dedicated group that chose to remain in the ELCA moved quickly to establish worship and keep an ELCA presence in Elk River. Initially, the group of just over 100 people met at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church for worship on Sunday evenings, but they outgrew that space within a matter of months...

With Our Hands And now have a dedicated building. We assembled a window at the Assembly – piece by piece by piece Elk River a new and renewed congregation

25 th Anniversary Celebration

Lutheran Marketing

Ohio Synod Delegates Bishop Suzanne Dillahunt will be installed at Wittenburg Saturday, October 26, ALL are welcome

Southern Ohio Synod Delegates

Demographics of Voting Members Total voting members: 950 checked in out of 952 voting members allocated which includes the 4 ELCA officers 525 lay members (61.58%) (must number 60% or higher) 52.48% were female/47.52 were male (the goal is to get 50% gender as equal as possible) 365 ordained persons (38.42%) First time voting members 626 or 65.89%

And it was not all work …. We made new friends from Wisconsin and Pittsburgh

Our Church